Shabda : शब्द

Unforgettable Sufis brings together the eternal poetry of mystic poets, Kabir Sahib and Hazrat Amir Khusrau. The evocative lyrics drawn from their poetry explore the myriad shades of love and spell the rich experience of musical ecstasy. The most fascinating aspect is that these renditions are blend with the melody of Indian Classical music, making this album a timeless gift of love for the yearning souls who long to be in communion with the divine.

It is perfect background for relaxing with a novel by the great Egyptian author Naguib Mahfoux, especially the classy and attractive performance by the Takht Ensemble of Cairo. Stringed instrument lovers will particularly enjoy the astounding oud solo by Gomaa Muhammed Ali. The recording quality is fat, bringing out certain low tones in the oud and drum in a way that reaches right for the gut.

EMBALASASA interweaves many subjects dear to Samite—native African fables and their morals, musings on the journey of life, of the experience of grief, of childhood, and of nature. His virtuosic performances (vocals, kalimba and flute) imbue the album with heartfelt emotion that Billboard Magazine noted when it said that ‘Samite wraps his warm voice around melodies that seem to rise up off the Ugandan plateau, caressed by his kalimbas and other native instruments.’

AFRICAN VOICES offers a sampling of the vocal capabilities of five illustrious vocalists: Ayub Ogada (Kenya), Vieux Diop (Senegal), Samite (Uganda), Lucky Diop (Senegal) and Kevin Nathaniel (America). The instrumentation varies with each artist, but primarily features percussion, flutes, kora, mbira, guitar and other traditional sounds. This is a fantastic showcase for the talents of each of these artists; after listening you’ll have the urge to hunt down their full length albums.

Healing songs of the gentle giants of the deep echo throughout this unique collaboration of whale and man. Kamal, winner of Australia’s prestigious Dolphin Award for musical excellence, blends authentic recordings of humpback whales with flute and soft synthesizer to create an atmosphere supportive of the healing energies of Reiki.

Chamras has composed more than a thousand songs, a hundred of them were played as theme songs in movies. He won many times for domestic and international awards like The Best Music from 32nd Asia-Pacific Film Festival 1987 Taipei. The Music of the Chao Phraya River, a reflection of the musician’s childhood by the riverside

A fantastic album of dreamy instrumental music. Somehow this album encapsulates alot of Phil Thornton’s styles, as each track has a different feel – some ethnic, some romantic (the almost classical, piano-based feel of the last track), others drenched in flutes. The flutes really are to the fore in this recording; a few are played by Nigel Shaw. The production is top quality, clear, uncluttered, yet also full. Definitely one of his best works.